Thursday

5-28-20

Outlaw Racing News

Bailey and Bane Split the Season Opening Doubleheader in Dominant Fashion

Bristol, TN - Racing is back in season as the summer months fall upon us. In a mad dash to scratch that itch just one more time before the July release of Heat 5, ORS made the quick turn around following season 7 to stuff its usual 13 race season into a mere 7 week crunch. Doubleheaders will headline this season, forgoing its usual 50% lengths in lieu of a pair of 25% sprints. To further put its drivers on their toes, every race this season is completely randomized. Drivers going in unknown of their destination, their transportation, nor their tire traction and fuel ration. Its a world of unknowns here in season 8, not just in changes but also within the roster. Five drivers make their ORS debut, and a few came torching out the gate. 

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The first race of the night saw the ORS crew take on the high speed banks of Hot'lanta. Where ORS newcomer Tristan Bailey took the pole in his inaugural race, and didn't do much looking back. From the drop of the green, Bailey was the force to be reckoned with, setting the early pace and emerging early as the man to beat. Though the lead would bounce around during the opening runs of the stages, Bailey played conductor once pit cycles concluded leading the field en route to sweeping the opening stages. Taking advantage of fierce battling within the top 5, Bailey jumped out to an early one second lead as the final stage begun. Slowly but surely, Jordan Bane and company would reel in the number 9 machine in before the first round of pit stops began. Once the cycle worked itself through, Bailey again sat upon a little more than a one second cushion back to Bane. Bane would again eat into that cushion some but nothing noticeable, until the final cycle of pit stops. Short pitting Bailey by roughly 2 laps, Bane took control of the race lead with 9 laps to go, flipping the script and putting a one second advantage up on Bailey. Alas the few lap fresher tires proved too strong, and through little contact, Bailey would muscle himself back into the race lead with 6 laps remaining. Bane would remain in immediate contact, forcing Bailey to defend on the final lap, however it wouldn't be enough to overcome the strength of the 9 team on this day. Bailey would notch a win in his first ORS start, as Bane would settle for runner-up. Ryan Lewis saw his solid showing pay dividends, finishing 3rd. As James Robinson and Blake Spurling rounded out the races' Top 5. 

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On the second half of the nights double header was a trip to Thunder Valley in the heavy, indefatigable ORS Trucks. To make matters more enticing, the finishing order from Atlanta would be inverted to begin the festivities on the concrete half mile. Taking full advantage of the inverse start was Stan Marshall, who started from the outside of the front row, would rebound from a lap off the pace in Atlanta, to leading most of the first stage and claim his first stage win in ORS. The races second stage saw a flurry of differing strategies as there were samples of four, two, and no tires under the stage break. The fresh tires seemed to reign supreme, as the likes of Bane and Bailey who started the stage from 9th and 10th began methodically working their way through the field. Bane saw his hard work and patience grant him the lead with 2 to go in the stage, but it was a short lived reprieve. A hard shove from Bailey saw the number 28 truck slide up in turn 3 allowing Bailey to switch lanes to the top side coming to the white flag. Bane would give a valiant fight on the inside line but come up a half truck length short at the green checkers, ending with Bailey stealing his 3rd stage win of the evening. With one final stage to go on the night, Kurtis Swatsworth and Ryan Lewis would elect to stay out sticking Bane and Bailey in row 2. However a third challenger would emerge as Pacey Wigent would use the struggling Lewis as a well timed pick, to move from third to first in essentially a turn. The top 3 of Wigent, Bane, and Bailey began stretching out their advantage over the field as the laps wound down. Finally after searching for over a dozen laps, with 4 to go Bane gets a solid look to the outside of Wigent, but Wigent would close the door late pushing the number 28 into the wall. In a sense of karmic redemption, a spun 52 truck in turns 3 & 4 would collect the race leader as Bane and Bailey dove for cover low. The incident would bring out the nights only caution, setting up for a brutal green-white-checkered to send off opening night. On the restart, Bailey would be unable to cover off Bane on the outside, allowing Bane to use to high side to contend for the lead door to door as the white flag flew. Bane would clear the 9 of Bailey down the backstretch, and with a 3 truck length cushion into turn 3 & 4 Bane could breathe easy as the melee of 3 and 4 wide behind him ensued. Denying Baileys' attempt at sweeping the night, Jordan Bane claims his first ORS win as well on a night that saw a lot of success for the incoming drivers. Bailey has the roles reversed, settling for 2nd on the night as Wigent would savor third in what could've been a much more disastrous result. Sam Wade bounced back to a 4th place effort while Michael Montgomery rounded out the nights Top 5. 

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One week in the books, and Bailey looks mightily strong to start off the new season, already owning a 15 point lead after 2 races. The separation begins after Bane and Wigent, where James Robinson settles in 4th in the standings, 39 points in back of Bailey. from there only 11 points separate Robinson from Sam Wade in 9th. As the mid field looks to be a wild setting, Bailey can rest easy, leaning on a comfortable early cushion. Two races down, eleven to go as series 8 gets underway.